How anthrax attacks

The anthrax vaccine now licensed was developed to protect workers against skin disease from anthrax spores in animal fur. The spores are more deadly when inhaled. Scientists disagree over how effective the vaccine is against inhaled anthrax, and whether antibiotics can work just as well.

Anthrax spores enter the lungs, with the finest particles penetrating the deepest. As they enter the lungs, the spores are dormant. But they germinate into the bacterial form, bacillus anthracis, once inside the lung.

At this point, the body's immune system begins attacking the spores. Some are killed, but others can get to lymph nodes and other parts of the body to develop further. Antibiotics can help the body defeat the infection at this point. Proponents of the vaccine say experiments with animals show that the vaccine can work here too. Testing on humans has never been done.

Bacteria inside the body continues to breed and multiply, producing toxins that cause tissue damage, fluid buildup and hemorrhaging. Unless all anthrax spores are killed, they continue to multiply. Proponents of the vaccine say that's why antibiotics alone might not do the job.

Two cross-dressing men who were fired upon by National Security Agency police when they disobeyed orders at a heavily guarded gate had just stolen a car from a man who had picked them up to "party" at a motel, police said Tuesday.

It's comes to no surprise to residents of the commonwealth that Virginia is growing. Like many fast-growing Southern states, Virginians appear to love sprawled-out cities and suburbs, according to recent 2014 U.S. Census estimates.